Now that the country is at peace , the whole nation is showing gratitude, not only in rituals, but also through concrete actions. In the photo: General Secretary To Lam warmly visits Vietnamese Heroic Mother Le Thi Sau, 102 years old, in block 13, Ben Thuy ward, Vinh city (old), Nghe An . Photo: Pham Bang, taken on May 15, 2025
History has never been an old page. History is the flesh and blood of the country, always alive and heroic. And in the resistance wars against French colonialism and American imperialism, or the war to protect the northern border, those who fell for the Fatherland, they are not just names engraved on stone tablets, but the soul of the country, the source of today's independence.
They could be soldiers on the Dien Bien Phu battlefield, young female volunteers who fell in the middle of Truong Son, mothers who lost both husband and child, and generations of people who did not spare their blood and bones so that our nation can stand tall in the sky today...
Having just returned from the 1509 high point, known as the "steel peak" on the battlefield of Vi Xuyen, Ha Giang (now Tuyen Quang province), veteran Nguyen Van Tan, from Hai Hau commune, Ninh Binh province, stood still for a long time in front of the stone slabs bearing the marks of time. The wind blowing from the mountain was cold, but he said that the cold could not compare to the numbness in his heart. His voice trembled slightly, and his eyes were distant, as if he was looking back four decades to return to those fierce days.
“After so many years of waiting, now I can return to the old battlefield…”, he choked up.
"The landscape has changed a lot, the mountains have turned green again, the grass and trees have grown, erasing all traces of bombs and bullets. But the fierce battles are still like yesterday. The sound of artillery shells tearing the sky, the smell of gun smoke, the sound of comrades calling each other in the dense bullets... There were battles that lasted less than two hours, but many of my comrades were left behind, their blood mixed with the soil, their flesh and bones left behind on the sacred land of the Fatherland at this high point...".
He spoke and then fell silent, his hands gently placed on the rock as if he was caressing and comforting his old friends. No one returned from Vi Xuyen without a wound, either on their body or in their heart. But there were those who had passed away forever when they were still too young, their names not yet engraved on their tombstones…
July, the month of fragrant incense sticks, the month of quiet streams of people heading towards Vi Xuyen, Dong Loc intersection, Truong Bon, Quang Tri Citadel, Truong Son Cemetery... Not noisy, but each step is a word of gratitude, each tearful look is a continuation of the eternal morality: "When drinking water, remember the source", "When eating fruit, remember the person who planted the tree".
July calms the sacred spirit of the mountains and rivers! Quietly yet deeply, to remind us to live a life worthy of those who did not spare their blood and bones for the independence and freedom of the nation, for the eternal existence of the country today!
Now, when the country is at peace, the whole nation shows gratitude, not only in rituals, but also through concrete actions. These are the houses of gratitude built for those who have contributed; these are practical support policies to care for and improve the lives of wounded and sick soldiers; families of martyrs; these are the young people today who come to the families of martyrs not only with flowers and greetings, but with affection, with sincere sharing, to remind each other that: "Today's generation has never forgotten the sacrifices of our ancestors!".
For that reason, from the rocky plateau of Ha Giang (now Tuyen Quang province) to the land of Lao wind and white sand of Quang Tri; from the Truong Son range to Ca Mau Cape... everywhere one can see the footprints and enthusiasm of gratitude.
In Ha Tinh province, where every inch of land is still soaked with the blood and tears of many generations of people who went through the war, the new house of female war invalid Truong Thi Xuan in Ky Xuan commune has just been completed amid choking emotions. It is not just a place to return to, but a big change after the years she struggled to live in a small house that had deteriorated before each storm season.
When the local officials handed over the new house, she was speechless. Tears silently rolled down her cheeks, which had been wrinkled by time. It was not only tears of joy, but also the burst of emotions that had been kept in her heart all her life. The small house carried with it a whole heart, the affection of the Party, the State, and the People for those who had not hesitated to sacrifice their blood and bones for the country.
Today's young generation burns incense to remember and pay tribute at the graves of 10 heroic female youth volunteer martyrs at Dong Loc T-junction. Photo: Manh Choi
So, it is not just bricks, cement bags, or roofs to protect against the sun and rain… The program to eliminate temporary houses for people with meritorious services is also a journey to awaken and spread the profound values of humanity.
On that journey of gratitude, many localities have turned the policy into a movement of love, where every day of labor, every donation, every heart of sharing, from people, businesses to philanthropists all contribute to building houses that are not only strong against the storms of life, but also warm with the love of compatriots.
The strength of the community, when combined with the initiative and flexibility of the local government in mobilizing socialization, has created a result that is not only effective in terms of material, but also deeply rooted in emotions and in the belief in the noble gesture of a humane and grateful society.
Sharing at the discussion "Warm homes for compatriots: Extraordinary efforts" organized by the Government Electronic Information Portal on June 3, Deputy Minister of Ethnic Minorities and Religions Nong Thi Ha was moved: "The success of the policy of eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses is not only measured by how many houses have been built. What is more important and profound is the change in management thinking, the way that authorities at all levels are committed and creative to mobilize resources, and above all; the sense of responsibility of the whole society joining hands to build each warm home for the poor, the meritorious, and the disadvantaged in the community..."
Time will pass quietly, but feelings and acts of gratitude will always go hand in hand with the flow of time. It is not just a matter of a day, a month, a year… gratitude has now become a part of the mindset, a way of life of the whole nation. Gratitude is not only honoring the past, but also nurturing the future. Because no one can go far if they forget the path they have traveled. A nation that knows how to be grateful is a nation with cultural depth, with a moral foundation to last forever!
And when the candles flicker again in the night of prayer by the Thach Han River, when each cemetery is lit up in the heart of the July night… we know that those who have fallen are still alive, in every “beat” of the country, in every aspiration of the People. They are immortal not because of the heroic stories that are told over and over again, but because they have merged into the sacred soul of the mountains and rivers, settling in the consciousness of every Vietnamese person.
Vietnamnet.vn
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/thang-bay-lang-hon-thieng-song-nui-2425850.html
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